Touch screen, display device having the same, and driving method thereof

Abstract

A touch screen includes a first electrode layer, an insulating layer on a first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer on the insulating layer. The first electrode layer or second electrode layer includes first sensing electrode columns and second sensing electrode columns. The first sensing columns include first sensing electrodes having sub-electrodes. The second sensing electrode columns are alternately arranged with the first sensing electrode columns and include second sensing electrode. The sub-electrodes of one of adjacent first sensing electrodes are electrically connected to sub-electrodes of another one of the adjacent first sensing electrodes, respectively.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for driving a touch screen, the method comprising:
 applying a touch driving signal to sub-electrodes of first sensing electrodes for each of a plurality of touch driving times that are periodically repeated; and 
 applying a pressure driving signal to second sensing electrodes at at least some idle times from among idle times between the touch driving times such that the idle times include a first group during which the pressure driving signal is applied at predetermined intervals of idle times and a second group during which the pressure driving signal is not applied, 
 wherein when the touch driving signal is applied to the sub-electrodes, a first capacitor is formed by the sub-electrodes and the second sensing electrodes, and 
 wherein when the pressure driving signal is applied to the second sensing electrodes, a second capacitor is formed by the second sensing electrodes and an electrode layer overlapping the second sensing electrodes, the electrode layer being a continuous electrode layer having a plate shape. 
 
     
     
       2. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein applying the pressure driving signal to the second sensing electrodes comprises:
 periodically applying a first pressure driving signal in units of a plurality of idle times, and 
 when an external pressure is detected by the pressure driving signal, applying a second pressure driving signal for each of all of the idle times until before a subsequent first pressure driving signal is applied. 
 
     
     
       3. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein applying the pressure driving signal to the second sensing electrodes comprises:
 applying a first pressure driving signal at arbitrary idle times; and 
 when an external pressure is detected by the pressure driving signal, applying a second pressure driving signal for each of all of the idle times until before a subsequent first pressure driving signal is applied. 
 
     
     
       4. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a first capacitance of the first capacitor is changed by a touch input of a user. 
     
     
       5. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a second capacitance of the second capacitor is changed by external pressure.